Jacquie Walters is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter who has sold five pilots in the last three years. A graduate of the Novel Writing Program at Stanford University, she is passionate about layered mysteries, psychological anomalies, and characters with everything to hide. Dearest is her debut novel.
A fast-paced and frightening debut that explores the nightmares of new motherhood, with plenty of twists and scares -- Rachel Harrison, author of Black Sheep A truly terrifying exploration of maternal instinct, mental health and the complex bonds between mothers and daughters. Jacquie Walters is a horror writer to watch -- Robyn Harding, author of The Drowning Woman A corrosive cocktail of domestic dread and parental paranoia, Dearest will turn your stomach and scare you senseless -- Daniel Kraus, New York Times bestselling author of Whalefall A raw and challenging rumination on motherhood and inherited trauma. Compassionate and compelling, Walters is a talent to watch -- Sarah Langan, bestselling author of Good Neighbors and A Better World Shockingly original and genuinely disturbing, this brilliant horror novel will hit way too close to home for millions of women -- Kirsten Miller, author of The Change An unflinching, cinematic thrill ride that examines the darkest fears inherent to motherhood . . . then lights them on fire. This perfectly plotted debut delivers again and again with a tense, claustrophobic start and genuinely terrifying final act -- Anne Heltzel, author of Just Like Mother Dearest by Jacquie Walters is one of the most exquisitely terrifying books I've ever read. Exceptionally written, this stunning thriller/horror explores the darkest parts of motherhood--whether we are good enough, capable enough to ensure our children survive and thrive. With mind-blowing twists, supernatural sensations, and a raw, unflinching exploration of postpartum, Dearest altered my psyche and skewered my soul -- Samantha M. Bailey, bestselling author of A Friend in the Dark